Vtech Learning User Manual

Dear Parent,
At VTech®, we know that every year, children are asking to play video games at younger and younger ages. At the same time, we understand the hesitation of most parents to expose their children to the inappropriate content of many popular video games. How can you feel confident in allowing your childen to play these games, and still educate and entertain them in a healthy, age-appropriate manner?
Our solution to this on-going debate is the V.Smile™ TV Learning System – a unique video game system created especially for children aged 3 to 7. The V.Smile™ TV Learning System combines a kid-friendly design, age-appropriate curriculum, entertaining graphics, and fun game play into a unique experience that your child will love and you can support. The V.Smile™ TV Learning System engages your child with two modes of play: the Learning Adventure
- an exciting exploratory journey in which learning concepts are seamlessly integrated, and the Learning Zone - a series of games designed to focus on specific school skills in a fun, engaging way. Both of these educational modes offer your child hours of learning fun.
As part of the V.Smile™ TV Learning System, VTech® offers a library of game Smartridges™ based on popular children’s characters that engage and encourage your child to play while learning. The library is organized into three levels of educational play – Early Learners (ages 3-5), Junior Thinkers (ages 4-6) and Master Minds (ages 5-7) – so that the educational content of the system grows with your child.
At VTech®, we are proud to provide you with a much-needed solution to the video game dilemma, as well as another innovative way for your child to learn while having fun. We thank you for trusting VTech® with the important job of helping your child explore a new world of learning!
Sincerely,
Your Friends at VTech
®
To learn more about the V.Smile™ TV Learning System and other VTech toys, visit www.vtechkids.com
®
INTRODUCTION
Poor little farmer Nick - his sheep have broken out of their pen and run away! To find them, he must venture out into the great, wide world for the first time. Luckily, his friend Truckles, a sassy truck, is there to lend a hand. Come along with Nick and Truckles on their exciting adventure!
GETTING STARTED
STEP 1: Choose Your Play Mode
Move the joystick up and down to choose the play mode you want. Press the ENTER button when you have finished.
Learning Adventure
Learning Zone
Options
Learning Adventure
In this play mode, you can explore different places and look for the lost sheep. Some exciting adventures are waiting for you!
Play through the whole story by choosing “Adventure Play,” or play each game separately by choosing “Quick Play.”
Adventure Play - Play five different adventure games in order, according to the story.
Quick Play - Play any of the five adventure games separately.
INTRODUCTION / GETTING STARTED
(1) Adventure Play
When you turn the unit OFF, V.Smile™ remembers your place in the Learning Adventure game. To continue your game, simply turn the unit back ON and select “Continue Game” under the Adventure Play menu.
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Please note that you can only do this if “Learnin’ Wheels” has not been removed from the unit, and there has been no interruption of power.
Continue a previous adventure.
New Game - Start a new adventure from the beginning.
(2) Quick Play
In the Quick Play menu, choose an adventure game you would like to play. To choose “Easy” or “Difficult” level, move the joystick left or right to the one-star icon or the two-star icon. To choose the number of players, move the joystick down to the “Player” section, and choose the One-Player or
Two-Player icon. When you have finished, move the joystick down to the
icon and press the ENTER button to play.
Move the joystick left or right to select a game, and press ENTER.
Move the joystick down to the icon and press ENTER to play.
GETTING STARTED
Learning Zone
In the Learning Zone menu, choose a learning game you would like to play. To choose “Easy” or “Difficult” level, move the joystick left or right to the one-star icon or the two-star icon. When you have finished, move
the joystick down to the icon and press the ENTER button to play.
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Move the joystick left or right to select a game, and press ENTER.
Move the joystick down to the icon and press ENTER to play.
Options
Move the joystick up and down to choose between Music, Horn Sounds and Chances.
Move the joystick left or right to turn the background music “On” or “Off.” Press ENTER when you have finished.
Move the joystick left or right to choose a horn sound and press ENTER when you have finished.
Move the joystick down to the icon and press ENTER.
Move the joystick left or right to choose “Normal” or “Unlimited” chances to play in Adventure Play mode.
When you have finished, move the joystick down to the icon and press
ENTER.
STEP 2: Choose Your Game Settings
If you are happy with the current settings, press the ENTER button to continue. Otherwise, move the joystick to change the game settings. When you have finished, move down to the icon and press ENTER.
Move the joystick left or right to choose “Easy” or “Difficult” level.
Move the joystick left or right to choose One-Player or Two-Player mode.
GETTING STARTED
The Quick Play and Learning Zone modes each have their own settings on the game selection page.
STEP 3: Start Your Game
For Learning Adventure, please go to the “Activities - Learning Adventure” section.
For Learning Zone, please go to the “Activities - Learning Zone” section.
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FEATURES
HELP Button
Press the HELP button to hear the instructions again.
EXIT Button
When you press the EXIT button, the game will pause. A “Quit Game?” icon will pop up to make sure you want to quit.
The EXIT button also allows you to get back to the previous menu.
Move the joystick to the icon to leave
the game, or to the icon to cancel the screen and keep playing. Press ENTER when you have finished.
LEARNING ZONE Button
The LEARNING ZONE button is a shortcut that takes you to the Learning Zone game selection screen. When you press the LEARNING ZONE button, the game will pause. A “Quit Game” icon will pop up to make
ACTIVITIES
sure you want to quit.
Move the joystick to the icon to go to the Learning Zone, or to the icon to cancel the screen and keep playing. Press ENTER when you
have finished.
ACTIVITIES
Educational Curriculum
Learning Adventure
Post Office Number Sequence
Gas Station
Maze Spatial Skills
Gas Station
Candy Store Math Computation
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Gas Station
Racetrack
Learning World Social Studies
Gas Station
Learning Zone
Sheep Hunt Spatial Skills
Sheep Catch Rhyming
Number Path Number Sequence
Sheep Barber Math Computation
Learning Adventure
BASIC OPERATIONS
Move left
Move right
Move forward
Move backward Move down & right
Enter Speed up
Move up & right
Move up & left
Move down & left
Question
Score
Sheep
Obstacle
Truckles
Nick
Chances
Energy Status
Nick: a young farmer in search of his lost sheep
Truckles: Nick’s friend and truck, who helps him find the sheep
ACTIVITIES
Sheep: Nick’s runaway animals, who must be found and collected
Obstacle: things that drain Truckles’ energy if he crashes into them
Score: the total number of sheep you have found so far
Question: the puzzle that must be solved during a game
Chances: the remaining chances to complete the game
Energy Status: Truckles’ energy level in the current game
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Post Office
Game Play
Help Nick and Truckles deliver the mail! Find the house number that comes next in the number sequence at the top of the screen. Park in front of that house, and deliver the letter. Don’t forget to pick up the sheep all around you.
Educational Curriculum: Number Sequence
Easy Level: Sequences count by 2, 3 and 4, from 1 to 30.
Difficult Level: Sequences count by 5, 6 and 7, from 1 to 50.
Gas Station
Game Play
You can get all kinds of fun services at the gas station - a color change or a wash for Truckles, some fuel, or even a magic toolbox that will get you through three crashes without any damage! This is a bonus game that will appear during certain other games.
ACTIVITIES
Maze
Game Play
Can you find your way out of the maze? Use your joystick to follow the instructions, and look out for anything that will get in your way. If you can find your way out, you will find a whole bunch of sheep - hurry up and grab them!
Educational Curriculum: Spatial Skills
Easy Level: Two directions (left and right)
Difficult Level: Four cardinal directions (East, West, South, North)
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Spot 5 - Candy Store
Game Play
There’s a delicious candy equation at the top of the screen! Find two numbers that add up to the answer, or two numbers whose difference is the answer. Press the colored button to stop the moving candy bucket when it reaches the answer - the candy will fall into your bucket! Don’t forget to pick up any sheep you find after the game.
Educational Curriculum: Math Computation
Easy Level: Target numbers range from 1 to 20.
Difficult Level: Target numbers range from 21 to 50.
Racetrack
Game Play
Welcome to the final race! Use the joystick to drive Truckles and avoid objects on the road. Remember, if you finish the race before time is up, you will find a lot of lost bonus sheep. Have fun!
Learning World
Game Play
It sure is a big, exciting world! Drive around wherever you please to look for the sheep. Along the way, you will learn many exciting things such as road safety rules and city vocabulary words. Explore and have fun!
Educational Curriculum: Social Studies
ACTIVITIES
Easy Level: Elementary road safety and vocabulary.
Difficult Level: More advanced road safety and vocabulary.
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Learning Zone
Sheep Hunt
Game Play
The poor little lost sheep need your help. Listen to the instructions to find out where each sheep belongs, and use the joystick to send it home.
Educational Curriculum: Spatial Skills
Easy Level: Two directions (left & right)
Difficult Level: Four cardinal directions (East, West, North, South)
Sheep Catch
Game Play
What an amazing group of sheep - they bleat in rhymes! But one of the sheep is really a wolf, and does not rhyme with the others. Find this pretend-sheep and kick him out by pressing the correct colored button. But be careful! If you choose the wrong sheep,
ACTIVITIES
the wolf will chase all the sheep away!
Educational Curriculum: Rhyming
Easy Level: Elementary rhymes
Difficult Level: Advanced rhymes
Number Path
Game Play
Move your joystick to lead the sheep home by following the correct number path. Be careful not to step on the wrong number!
Educational Curriculum: Number Sequence
Easy Level: Sequences count by 2, 3, 4, from 1 to 30.
Difficult Level: Sequences count by 5, 6, 7, from 1 to 50.
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Sheep Barber
Game Play
It’s a sheep beauty salon, and you’re the barber! An equation is marked on the shearing machine. Press the colored button to choose a razor that solves the equation. Be careful - if you choose the wrong one, some poor sheep will get a really silly hairstyle!
Educational Curriculum : Math Computation
Easy Level: Answers range from 1 to 20.
Difficult Level: Answers range from 21 to 50.
CARE & MAINTENANCE
1. Keep your V.Smile™ clean by wiping it with a slightly damp cloth. Never use solvents or abrasives.
2. Keep it out of direct sunlight and away from direct sources of heat.
3. Remove the batteries when not using it for an extended period of time.
4. Avoid dropping it. NEVER try to dismantle it.
5. Always keep the V.Smile™ away from water.
WARNING
A very small percentage of the public, due to an existing condition, may experience epileptic seizures or momentary loss of consciousness when viewing certain types of flashing colors or patterns, especially on television. While the V.Smile™ TV Learning System does not contribute to any additional risks, we do recommend that parents supervise their children while they play video games. If your child experiences dizziness, altered vision, disorientation, or convulsions, discontinue use immediately
CARE & MAINTENANCE
and consult your physician.
Please note that focusing on a television screen at close range and handling a joystick for a prolonged period time may cause fatigue or discomfort. We recommend that children take a 15 minute break for every hour of play.
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TROUBLESHOOTING
Please note that if you try to insert or remove a Smartridge™ without first turning the unit OFF, you may experience a malfunction. If this happens, and the unit does not respond to pressing the ON / OFF / RESTART buttons, disconnect the AC adaptor from the main unit or remove the batteries. Then, reconnect the adaptor, or reinstall the batteries. If the unit still does not respond, press the RESET button at the bottom of the unit, using a pen.
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
If you have a problem that cannot be solved by using this manual, we encourage you to visit us online or contact our Consumer Services Department with any problems and/or suggestions that you might have.
A support representative will be happy to assist you.
Before requesting support, please be ready to provide or include the information below:
• The name of your product or model number (the model number is typically located on the back or bottom of your product).
• The actual problem you are experiencing.
• The actions you took right before the problem occurred.
If you wish to buy additional joysticks for your V.Smile™ TV Learning System, please visit us online, or contact our Consumer Services
TROUBLESHOOTING
Department.
Internet: www.vtechkids.com
Phone: 1-800-521-2010 in the U.S. or 1-877-352-8697 in Canada
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OTHER INFO
DISCLAIMER AND LIMITATION OF LIABILITY
VTech® Electronics North America, L.L.C. and its suppliers assume no
responsibility for any damage or loss resulting from the use of this handbook. VTech® Electronics North America, L.L.C. and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any loss or claims by third parties that may arise through the use of this software. VTech® Electronics North America, L.L.C. and its suppliers assume no responsibility for any damage or loss caused by deletion of data as a result of malfunction, dead battery, or repairs. Be sure to make backup copies of important data on other media to protect against data loss.
COMPANY : VTech® Electronics North America, L.L.C.
ADDRESS : 1155 West Dundee Road, Suite 130, Arlington Heights,
IL 60004 USA
TEL NO.: 1-800-521-2010 in the U.S. or 1-877-352-8697
in Canada
OTHER INFO
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NOTE:
This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to Part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a particular installation. If this equipment does cause harmful interference to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:
Reorient or relocate the receiving antenna.
Increase the separation between the equipment and receiver.
OTHER INFO
Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different from that to which the receiver is connected.
Consult the dealer or an experienced radio/TV technician for help.
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